Combined convertible souvenir and advertising postal card, puzzle, boat, and box.



S. L. LAZARON.v

COMBINED CONVERTIBLE SOUVENIR AND ADVERTISING POSTAL CARD, PUZZLE, BOAT,AND BOX. 5

APPLICATION IILED AUG. 30, 1911.

Patented June 11, 1912.

z- BEEETE-HHEET 1.

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COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH til-WASHINGTON. n. c.

S.L.LAZAR0N. COMBINED CONVERTIBLE SOUVENIR AND ADVERTISING POSTAL GAR-D,PUZZLE, BOAT, AND BOX.

M APPLICATION FILED AUG .30, 1911.

Patented June 11 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA FLANOURAPN CO.,WASHINUTON. D. C.

NIED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. LAZARON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COMBINED CONVERTIBLE SOUVENIR AND ADVERTISING POSTAL CARD, PUZZLE, BOAT,

AND BOX.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 30, 1911.

PatentedJune 11, 1912.

Serial No. 646,908.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. LAZARON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedConvertible Souvenir and Advertising Postal Cards, Puzzles, Boats, andBoxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to combined convertible souvenir and advertisingpostal cards, puzzles, boats and boxes.

The object of my invention is to construct such a device out of a singlepiece of paper, paste-board, cloth, rubber, leather or other suitablematerial, which is adapted to be first folded into form for a postalcardand afterward utilized as a puzzle by converting it into a boat andbox.

My invention consists in a single sheetof materialso formed and arrangedas to be folded into form as an advertising souvenir postal card andalso, by reason of its peculiar formation and possibilities, to be usedas a puzzle while converting said postal card into a boat and box, andalso in its adaptability to be unfolded and re-folded again and again asa puzzle boat and whereby the descriptive and advertising matter placedthereon, is repeatedly brought to view.

My invention also consists in the peculiar construction, combination andarrangement of the device and in the details of construction as hereinset forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of material cut andcreased in accordance with my invention and ready, to be folded. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the sheet folded into the shape of a sail boat.Fig. 3 shows the preferred form of my invention. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the sheet shown in Fig. 3, folded substantially to represent asteamboat. Fig. 5 is a view of the device when folded to form a postalcard.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the drawings, Figs.1 and 2 illustrate the device as adapted to be first formed into apostal card and then transformed or converted into a sail boat, whileFigs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate my invent-ion as adapted to be first formedinto a postal card and then transformed or converted into a steamboat.

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, thedevice is constructed by cutting or suitably forming a blank insubstantially the shape shown in Fig. l and is provided with creasesindicated by the dotted lines, upon which the material is to be foldedinto the desired shape for a postal card, puzzle and sail boat. Afterthe blank is thus formed its surface is provided with suitableillustrations and advertising or other printed matter as may be desired.

The postal card is formed by folding the blank upon the central foldingline 32 which will expose to view the bottom 1 of the boat which may beused for the address side of the postal card. Suitable advertisingmatter and directions may also be displayed thereon. The two sides ofthe card, which have been placed together by folding, are then held inplace by a wire clip.

The puzzle consists in the formation of the sail boat and box byremoving the clip and folding the parts comprising it substantially asfollows: The sides 2 and 3 are first folded upwardly on the lines 4 and4 at right angles to the bottom 1; then the flared angular ends 16 arefolded over the tapering ends 15 of the sides 2 and 3, respectively,said ends 16 being folded on the creaseddiagonal lines 17. This incasesthe tapering ends 15 within the folded angular ends 16 and draws thetapering ends of the sail boat upwardly to give it the proper form. Thefolding over of the parts at the end also reinforces and strengthens theconstruction and the same may be held in proper shape by clipstemporarily placed over the respective edges of the folded angular ends16. The top or deck 5 is then folded on the line 32 and the flanges6folded along the lines 14 whereby they will overlap the projecting ends15 and project outwardly and downwardly over the tapering ends of theboat, as shown in Fig. 2 thereby giving a finish to the upper edges ofthe boat as well as further supporting and. strengthening the sides. Thetemporary wire clips are then removed and placed in the positions shownat 19\to detachably hold the parts together, said clips extendingthrough an opening in the deck 5 and clamping the folded angular ends 16in position upon the tapering ends 15. I have shown the wire clips as apreferred fastening means thus enabling a person to remove them forunfolding and refolding the box when desired. The sail portion orsection 7 is then folded upwardly on the line 33 into vertical positionand the rectangular brace 12 is folded downwardly on the line 13 so asto allow the end 12 of same to engage the slot 18 in the top 5 and forma lock for said rectangular piece 12, whereby said sail piece issecurely held in vertical position as shown in Fig. 2. 1 After the sailportion 7 is erected, sails 8 may be folded on the lines 9 in eitherdirection and the sails or wings 10 may also be folded on the lines 11in opposite directions. These sail provide advertising space as well asadd to the artistic appearance of the boat.

The entire device may be decorated in colors to make it more realisticand improve the general appearance and to imitate the appurtenances ofthe vessel or boat. A suitable opening 34 is provided in the top 5through which access may be had to the interior of the device when heldin closed position by the clips 19.

Referring now to my preferred construction illustrated in Figs. 3, 4:and 5, the blank is first cut or suitably formed, as shown in Fig. 3,and is provided with creases indicated by the dotted lines to indicatewhere the parts are to be folded and to render the folding moreconvenient. This construction is likewise provided with suitableillustrated and printed matter for advertising or other purposes asdesired, and may then be quickly and conveniently folded along the lines35 and 36 to form a postal card and held in such position by means ofthe clip 19 as indicated in Fig. 5. This permits the device to bereadily and cheaply transmitted through the mails and to be used as apuzzle by the recipient who not having been instructed as to the mannerof transforming the postal card into a toy steamboat, will use it as apuzzle in converting the postal card into a toy steamboat. The postalcard as then formed in Fig. 5 is utilized as a puzzle in the formationof a steamboat, as shown in Fig. 4:, by folding the blank, shown in Fig.3, as follows: The sides 2 and 3 are folded on the lines 4 at rightangles to the bottom 1 and then the flared angular ends 16 are foldedover the tapering ends 15, respectively, and as folded are temporarilysecured thereto by wire clips 37 The folding of the angular ends 16 overthe tapering ends 15 on the lines 17 draws the tapering bottom portionof the ends upwardly to give it the proper form and braces andstrengthens said ends. The first deck or floor 5 is then folded on theline 36 and the flanges 6 are folded to project downwardly and outwardlyover the tapering ends of the boat to give the first deck 5 of the boata suitable finish. The smoke stack 23 is then formed from a rectangularportion 20 partly cut therefrom and creased on the lines 21 and 22 inorder that when folded on these lines it will form a substantiallyhexagonal smoke stack. In forming this smoke stack the rectangularportion is first, folded upwardly on the line 22 and is bentsubstantially into hexagonal form, which is adapted to pass through ahexagonal opening formed by the slits 27 in the upper deck 2% of theboat. The upper deck 24 is then folded on the line 38, thus bringing thehexagonal opening directly over the smoke stack 23 and allowing thesmoke stack to pass therethrough. The cabin sides 25 are then folded onthe line 39, the extensions or ends 29 passing through slits 30 on thefolded line 36. The shelters or awnings 31 are then allowed to projectdownwardly and outwardly, as shown in Fig. 41, to represent an awningfor the opening in the cabin. The ends 26 are folded inwardly on thelines 40 to form the ends fore and aft of the device and to form anadditional support for the upper deck. The rectangular portion 20, whichis cut away toform the smoke stack 23, leaves an opening 20' in the topof the box or boat for access thereto. The rectangular pieces 25,forming the sides of the cabin 28, are provided with the angular ends 29which enter the slits 30 when the box is folded, thereby giving supportto the upper deck. The portions between said sides 25 are intended to befolded on the dotted lines 38 and 39, respectively, for the purpose offorming the awnings or shelters 31, thus ornamenting the cabin deck.

Thus it will be seen that out of a single piece of material I am enabledto produce a novel convertible, postal card, puzzle, boat and box whichcan be readily formed into a ship or artistic box attractive to the eyeand capable of use as an advertising commodity or as a merchant-ablesouvenir and toy as well as for the ordinary use as a receptacle forcondiments, nuts and the like.

It will be seen that after the device is verted into its original formfor repeated use as a puzzle and toy. This enhances its value as anadvertising medium as it exposes to view repeatedly the advertisingthereon.

One of the main advantages of my inventionis that when the sheetis lyingin its blank form a maximum of advertising space is obtained, and whenit is used as a postal card or a souvenir for mailing the advertisementsare exposed to view.

The device has a special feature of utility, when used as a box, byreason of the peculiar formation of the mast, the upper central part ofwhich serves as a handle to carry the same, as shown in Fig. 2, while inthe construction shown in Fig. 4, the smoke stack 23 is adapted to serveas a suitable handle by which to carry the box.

It will be observed that my device is one which is attractive inappearance in its different forms as a postal card, puzzle, boat and boxand that it combines the qualities of an advertising medium and usefularticle with those of a toy thus amusing and instructing at the sametime; in other words, it is a device of utility as well as one ofpleasure and interest.

One of the distinguishing features of my invention is in its peculiarconstruction, combination and arrangement by which the device is adaptedto be transformed from a postal card into a puzzle boat and box andrepeatedly re-converted and re-transformed from one to the other.

The device is light, comp-act for mailing, interesting and attractivefor use as a-puzzle, useful as an advertising and illustrative mediumand receptacle for various articles, as well as being economical toconstruct and being valuable as a souvenir and toy.

My invention is capable of considerable modification without materialdeparture from the spirit or scope thereof, I do not, therefore, wish tobe confined to the particular constructions and arrangements or to thedetails as herein set forth, but

That I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofmaterial provided with a series of longitudinal creases and with aseries of diagonal creases near the ends and having slots, slits andopenings therein, substantially as shown, whereby said device may befirst folded into form as a postal card and then used as a puzzle byfurther folding and securing it into the form of an oblong boat box,substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

2. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofpaste board or other suitable material having a series of longitudinalcreases arranged parallel to each other and tapering at their ends andhaving a series of slots and openings therein, substantially as shownwhereby said device may be first folded into form as a postal card andthen used as a puzzle by further folding and detachably securing it intothe form of a boat box which is adapted to be used as a receptacle,substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

3. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofmaterial, creased longitudinally and also creased diagonally of itslength near the ends and provided with parallel and diagonal slits andwith openings as shown, substantially as set forth and for the purposesspecified:

4. A device of the character described comprising a sheet of paste boardor other suitable material, having a series of longitudinal creasesarranged parallel to each other and tapering at their ends and having aseries of slits and openings therein part of said slits being disposeddiagonally to the longitudinal creases and intersecting same, andadditional diagonal creases in the end portions of said device wherebythe same may be readily folded first into the form of a postal card andthen adapted to be used as a puzzle by folding and detachably securingthe parts together to form a boat box, substantially as set forth.

5. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofpaste board or other suitable material having pairs of creases extendinglongitudinally of the central part thereof and tapering toward eachother near their ends, said sheet having cut away portions to providefor tapering and truncated projections, additional creases in theportion between said diagonal slits, one of said parts having a flangedhole in its central part and another of said parts having an integrallyformed roll and adapted to project through said hole when the parts arefolded together in the form of a boat box to form a smoke-stack for saidboat, substantially as set forth and for the'purposes specified.

6. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofpaste board or other suitable material, having a series of longitudinaland intersecting diagonal creases and having a series of slots andopenings therein whereby angular pieces are provided for folding andwhereby rectangular pieces and projections are formed for the purposesspecified and detachable and adjustable clips for holding said partstogether when folded into the form of a postal card or a boat.

7 A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofmaterial, slit and cut away at each end to form angular projections andprovided with a hole in one part and with an integral projectingrectangular portion adapted to be rolled into, tube-like extension inthe other part adapted to enter said hole and form a smoke-stack forsaid boat, and clips adapted to hold said parts, when folded, in properform to represent a boat box.

8. A device of the character described comprising a single sheet ofmaterial provided with a series of longitudinal creases and also withtapering creases near the ends thereof and provided with slots, slitsand openings for the purposes set forth, whereby the adjacent parts maybe folded into substantially as set forth and for the p urthe form of aboat box, and being cut away poses specified.

to form projecting parts Which are adapted S AMUEL L LAZARON\ l v 3 t tobe folded to form the tapering ends and upper and lower decks and otherparts of \Vitnesses:

the boat box and means for holding the JAMES N. RAMsEY, parts of saidboat box 1n posltlon as such, GoLDm GORDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. y l

